Wildlife

Extinct Bird Rediscovered

An exotic bird thought to have gone extinct 140 years ago has been “rediscovered” by researchers on a tiny island off Papua New Guinea. The black-naped pheasant pigeon was spotted in images from remote cameras on Fergusson Island.

“It is the kind of moment you dream about your entire life as a conservationist and birdwatcher,” said expedition co-lead John Mittermeier. The team initially had help from one local who reported seeing the pheasant-pigeon several times in an area with steep ridges and valleys, and described hearing the bird’s distinctive calls.

Shark Protection

Representatives attending the world’s largest wildlife summit have voted for the first time to regulate the hunting of sharks, which kills millions of the fish each year to meet the huge demand for shark fin soup.

The 186-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, signed an agreement to regulate the commercial fishing of 54 shark species, including tiger, bull and blue sharks, which are the most targeted for the fin trade.